Did Assassins' Creed Kill Prince Of Persia?

[Alex]

Prince Of Persia is a video game franchise dating back to 1989 where it started as a 2D platformer with puzzle elements and some combat. It was a landmark at the time because it involved rotoscoping (taking inspiration from live action) and the platforming was realistic (if you fell a certain distance you'd die) There were two sequels to this game one also in 2D (Prince Of Persia Shadow And Flame) and Prince Of Persia 3D (which was poorly recieved due to bugs)

Ubisoft bought the rights to the series and released Sands Of Time in 2003 which was critically acclaimed, this was followed by two sequels (Warrior Within and Two Thrones) all games were applauded for their platforming and combat mechanics as well as their puzzles.

After the series concluded Ubisoft decided to try a different series Assassins' Creed in 2007. This borrowed several elements from Prince Of Persia (platforming and puzzle solving) as well as adding stealth and an open world (ala GTA) and was acclaimed as well (with only the combat being seen as a slight negative)

Ubisoft decided to try a different Prince Of Persia series in 2008 (different to Sands Of Time) and decided to change some things, most notably combat. (you only fought one enemy at a time throughout the entire game) It got mixed reviews (mainly because of the combat)

Ubisoft decided to go back to Assassins' Creed and realised Assassins' Creed 2 in 2009. This was seen as an improvement over its predecessor as the combat was better and the platforming was enhanced as well as some RPG elements (you made money in your villa to buy things)

This was followed up with Assassins' Creed Brotherhood in 2010. Which carried on from 2 with not much in the way of new gameplay features (unless you count multiplayer)

Now there was another Prince Of Persia game in 2010 (Forgotten Sands) but it has been argued it was a cash in on the Sands Of Time film. It was set between The Sands Of Time and Warrior Within games, the only real gameplay addition was the inclusion of elemental powers which help in platforming and combat. Now while it has been said to be a good game tehre were complaints of bugs and not nearly as much effort put in by Ubisoft as they had on Assassins' Creed.


Now here's the question. Has Assassins' Creed replaced Prince Of Persia as one of Ubisofts primary series' and why.

 

[Phoenix]

The simple answer is yes. The answer why: money.

Fact is when the Prince of Persia trilogy was released between 2003-2006, they had a hit series which got a great interest from the public, it was something new and was the flavour of the period. But much like most flavours, a repeated formula will make things grow stale because everything will be repetitive and/or a rehash of a previous version with only some improvements. With Assassin's Creed, they evolved the style over with some open play but kept it linear like Prince of Persia, which did slightly work against them. Cue Assassin's Creed II and Ubisoft have found a formula that's new and works to the favour of the gameplayers, this is their flavour of the period and it makes Prince of Persia look somewhat weaker in comparison.

The problem is that Prince of Persia can't evolve like Assassin's Creed can because PoP relies on a linear story to keep the elements in place, if you place the reverse time effect in an open world, you would never get things done, you would spend time trying to come with innovative ways to make youtube videos of you defying death from a new place that no-one else does. PoP has unfortunately exhausted all it's selling points, this is shown with the remake and they haven't been able to reach the same highs that the trilogy gave them while Assassin's Creed was able to evolve because it was newer.

So yes, Assassin's Creed has replaced Prince of Persia, but that's because PoP killed itself with exhausting up their selling points and being unable to evolve out of a linear storyline, Assassin's Creed is something that came at the right place and the right time for Ubisoft to get people to buy something new without wasting it on another PoP which wouldn't sell as well as it could in the older days.